I EXPERIENCE WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A TREAD SEPARATION IN THE TIRE WHILE TRAVELING ON I 15 IN ARIZONA, ON THE WAY TO LAS VEGAS. AS THE TIRE NOISE AND VIBRATION INCREASED, I BEGAN TO LET OFF THE GAS, PREPARING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT, AND THEN COASTED TO A STOP ALONG THE CURVED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRE, IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH SIDEWALLS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD, AND THE VEHICLE HAD RUN A SHORT DISTANCE ON THE ALUMINUM WHEEL. THAT FRIDAY AFTERNOON WE CALLED CONTINENTAL'S CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER, BUT THEY WERE CLOSED UNTIL MONDAY. THE FORD DEALER IN GRAND JUNCTION ADVISED US TO SEE A LINCLONDEALER IN LAS VEGAS. THE DESERT LINCOLN DEALER 702-257-0687 (RUSS SCHOENBECK) SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO A CONTINENTAL TIRE DEALER BECAUSE LINCOLN DID NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES ON THE 2000 NAVIGATOR, BUT DID NOW WARRANT THE TIRES ON THE 2001 NAVIGATOR. HE SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THREE OTHER 17 INCH TIRE FAILURES ON THE NAVIGATORS, ONE WITH MASSIVE TREAD SPERATION THAT DAMAGED THE CUSTOMERS SHEETMETAL. THE CUSTOMER, A BROKER, CONVINCED CONTINENTAL TO REPAIR THE SHEET METAL ON HIS VEHICLE. I HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AT DISCOUNT TIRE IN LAS VEGAS 702-451-1453 AND HAD TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR A NEW TIRE BECAUSE I WOULD NOT LET DISCOUNT TIRE HAVE THE DAMAGED TIRE, IN CASE I HAD TO PROVE THE FAULTY TIRE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO MY VEHICLE. I HAVE THE TIRE IN MY POSSESSION. IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT IT, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME PROPMTLY. I DID REPORT THE TIRE PROBLEM TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY1-800-521-4140 EXPRESSING MY CONCERNS THAT THE TIRE IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. SHE SAID THAT FORD DOES NOT WARRANT THE TIRES. I SAID THAT THE TIRE IS NOT FIT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLE, AND THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH "FITNESS FOR PURPOSE" WHEN FORD SOLD ME THE VEHICLE WITH THE TIRES INSTALLED (DOT NUMBER: AD9C448090 TIRESIZE: P255/75R17)